A tragic car accident on the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge in Lagos has claimed the lives of three young individuals, sparking public outrage over the handling of the situation by the police. The fatal crash, which occurred around 1:00 am on Monday, involved two cars carrying approximately eight passengers.
According to reports shared on social media, including an account from a user named Dr Love, an 18-year-old driver, who was reportedly without a driver’s license, was responsible for the crash that killed three of his friends. Dr Love wrote, “18-year-old driver killed 3 of his friends in the accident. Police arrested the remaining two survivors.”
Witnesses reported that two victims died instantly at the scene, while another passed away shortly after being pulled from the wreckage. Both drivers involved in the crash emerged without injury, further intensifying emotions at the scene.
However, the response from the police drew heavy criticism. Witnesses, including Dr Love, described how officers handcuffed the surviving victims instead of focusing on helping the injured or managing the bodies of the deceased. “People in the area, including elders, couldn’t believe what they were seeing. They begged the police to focus on taking the dead to the hospital or mortuary instead of arresting those who had just lost their friends,” he said.
Bystanders, including a dispatch rider, added that one of the victims was still alive when pulled from the wreckage but tragically stopped breathing after several minutes.
In response to the outcry, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), clarifying the actions taken by the police. He stated, “The police arrived at the scene and took occupants of the vehicles to the hospital. Unfortunately, three were certified dead and the police took their bodies to Yaba mortuary.”
Hundeyin also confirmed that the driver believed to be at fault was taken to the hospital and later released into the custody of his family. He assured the public that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Despite this clarification, public criticism persists over the perceived insensitivity of the police response, with many questioning the prioritization of arrests over the care of the victims.
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